Two and a half years ago, we heard that genre icon Tony Todd signed on to play an “iconic new villain” in the horror mystery / genre-bending thriller Werewolf Game. Sadly, Todd passed away last week at the age of 69, following a long illness… but we still haven’t had the chance to see Werewolf Game. The Horror Collective will be giving the film a digital release on January 21st, and a trailer has been unveiled. You can check it out in the embed above.
Directed by Jackie Payne and Cara Brennan from a screenplay written by Payne, Werewolf Game was inspired by the party game of social deduction invented by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986. In the film, twelve strangers are kidnapped by a social media company and forced to play a game where they vote on who amongst them to murder. According to The Horror Collective, the film will give fans “a chance to experience one of Tony Todd’s last performances in a story that celebrates his dedication to bringing unforgettable characters to life.”
Todd was joined in the cast by Lydia Hearst (Z Nation), Bai Ling (The Crow), Teala Dunn (Are We There Yet?), Tabitha Jane (Why?), Tim Realbuto (Bobcat Moretti), and Robert Picardo (The Howling).
The film is coming to us from Different Duck Films founder Rob Margolies, who produced it with Gretel Snyder. Margolies discovered the screenplay, and the project won the top prize at his annual First Frame International Film Festival: a production deal. Sunstrike Pictures is also behind this one, and they provided the following statement: “We have a huge influence of John Carpenter and horror manga, to create a uniquely visceral film that is as haunting as it is beautiful. Werewolf Game is a thrilling, disturbing, who-dun-it mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.“
When the project was first announced, we heard that Werewolf Game would be “drawing on the raw intensity of anime and the chilling atmosphere of retro horror,” and would be “crafted to be PG-13 to enrapture teen and adult audiences alike.” Todd said, “My roots as an actor are grounded in theater, which is why my iconic character in Werewolf Game strongly appeals to me, much like Immortal (2020), my first collaboration with Margolies.“
What did you think of the Werewolf Game trailer? Will you be watching this Tony Todd movie in January? Let us know by leaving a comment below.